Pelican Power

I read that a $280-million B-1B bomber was recently destroyed in a collision with a pelican (Part I, Jan. 21). Two related thoughts occurred to me.

In view of last year’s flight of a West German teen-age pilot into Red Square in Moscow, neither major power seems to be getting its dollar’s or ruble’s worth on defense. Perhaps we should both agree to cut back our defense spending. I would recommend spending the money on health and education since, to the best of my knowledge, no hospital or school has ever been destroyed by a pelican.

Second, rather than spend huge sums of money on “Star Wars,” dangerously escalating the arms race, perhaps we could train a flock of pelicans. Admittedly, this runs the risk of starting a race for greater “pelican power,” but I think the potential dangers could be minimized.

JAMES D. STEIN JR.

Marina del Rey